Puerto Rico-based Oriental Financial Group has named Jose Ramon Gonzalez as senior executive vice president for banking and corporate development, a new position. He will report to Jose Fernandez, vice chairman of the board, president and CEO.
Mr Gonzalez will assume responsibility for all areas of Oriental’s growing commercial banking business, including commercial products and services acquired in the FDIC-assisted Eurobank acquisition. He will develop and implement plans to expand the group’s commercial market share.
Mr Gonzalez began his career in banking in the early 1980s as vice president of investment banking, for Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB), and later, from 1989 through 1995, as president and CEO of CSFB’s Puerto Rico operations. He served as president and CEO of the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico, a government instrumentality that acts as the Commonwealth’s fiscal agent, from 1986 to 1989.
Mr Fernandez said: “We are pleased to have an executive of Jose’s caliber join Oriental as we build our commercial banking franchise. During his 12 years as an executive at Santander, particularly during his tenure as CEO, Jose expanded Santander’s footprint in Puerto Rico by building its commercial business and by acquiring assets and businesses of other banks.”